Sephora About to Undergo Explosive Store Growth

Sephora will open 100 new store locations across North America in 2020, marking the largest single-year North American expansion in the retailer’s history and more than doubling the number its openings from the previous year.

The new stores will open in locations where its customers live and work, including street and local centers as well as a mix of new and established shopping centers. 

“As I approach the close of my first year with Sephora, I am exceptionally proud of what the Sephora team has achieved, we are optimistically relentless and excited about our growth plans for the future,” said Jean André Rougeot, CEO of Sephora Americas, who joined in February 2019. “As we look at ways to continue to be more inclusive and accessible, brick & mortar continues to be a huge opportunity for us to deepen emotional connections with our clients and local communities. It’s through our interactive store environment, our best-in-class educational tools and services and incredible engagements with our Beauty Advisors that we are able to best service and inspire clients on their beauty journey.”

Sephora will open stores in more than 75 cities centered around local neighborhoods and community centers, including Charlotte (North Carolina), Nashville (Tennessee) and San Jose (California).  The stores will feature a sleek architectural and visual design that focuses on the classic Sephora DNA look and feel, and utilize more cost-effective materials allowing the retailer to deepen the investment in client centric experiences, services, and employee development.  Additionally, all new stores will be powered by 100% renewable energy, helping to reduce the retailer’s energy consumption and underscoring its commitment to the planet via its Sephora Stands sustainability program.

The store mix will also include a 4,000 square foot format for a selection of local stores. The smaller footprint will more seamlessly integrate into street and local center locations and will feature layout changes including haircare and skincare more prominently at the front of the store and a new Sephora Studio for skin and beauty services.

The Sephora retail concept is grounded in presenting its clients with the most unique product assortment, store design and client services. More than 20 years ago, Sephora was the first beauty retailer to employ the unique open-sell philosophy, allowing clients to shop a myriad of brands and encouraging them to try, test and play with everything.

“Everything we do at Sephora is with our clients’ evolving needs in mind,” said Jeff Gaul, SVP of Real Estate and Store Development, Sephora. “In looking at where and how today’s beauty lover is shopping, there’s no doubt that there’s a trend toward more local shopping destinations. This year, clients can expect to see more Sephora stores not only in malls and high-traffic shopping centers, but also closer to home. These locations are meant to complement our existing fleet and give clients a more personalized and customized experience.”

Here are highlights of the new Sephora North America locations:

• Sleek, easy to navigate fixtures at the front of the store that enable shoppers to discover a new product or brand favorite, found only at Sephora
• Sephora offers Beauty Services at its Beauty studio for all levels of interest
• Innovative digital beauty tools that aid in discovery and personalized product recommendations like Sephora Color IQ, a technology that scans the surface of your skin and assigns it a special number, which reveals scientifically precise foundation, concealer, and lip recommendations, or the Sephora Digital Makeover Guide, which tracks all products used or recommended to clients during their in-store service and emails details to them for future reference
• For ease and convenience, clients can book their services or see what events and classes are coming up in their local store via Happening at Sephora online at Sephora or on the Sephora mobile App